The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-09-10
Florida Letter.
Written for THE REPUBLICAN.

Written for THE REPUBLICAN.
GOOD FRIEND HAYDEN You
will agree with one, l think, that a
days potatoe-digging is not the best
possible preparative to letter-writing.
Indeed, were 1t not that had already
quite too long deferred this duty. l
should choose the pillOao, in prefer
ence to the chair and pen.
Along with the rest of North
America, Florida has had a swelter-
ing Summer. In less than two years
we have passed through the utmost
extremes of Winter and Summer
temperature in this latitude. L won
der how many If your Garrett people
have been saying: "With such heat
here. Uhat must ii be IN Florida ?"
Well, it has been hot, Uery hot, for
as much as two months yet, strange
as 1t may seem, and to many | dare
say quite incredible, few of us, at
least in this section, have seen the
mercury 80 up to 1902 in the shade
Consequently it is plain, that, though
in "blistering Florida" we have not
suffered the Summer discomfort that
has been experienced almost every
where North of US, even in Canada (!
What is equally worthy of mention
Is, that our people have been, so far
as my knowledge extends, exem pt
from any unusual amount of sick
ness, This is true even of children.
Now the force of the Summer is
broken, our first "North-easter" has
for day or two been waiting cool
breezes and refreshing showers in
from the Atlantic. If past obserya-
lions are worth anything as guides,
we are to have very mild Winter
the Summer rainfall has been quite
below the average. But whether
mild or otherwise. the comiug Win
ter is to WiStness something of a
"stirring round" in Florida.
A great meeting has been held in
the interest of Immigration, and, for
ONE, our people are going to lay
aside alike shrinking modesty and
culpable apathy, and. California like,
advertise And this is not to be a
"Belmore City," or "St. Andrews
Bay" scheme, but a state enterprise.
Is it not quite too true that the aver
age Northerner knows hardly more
of Florida than of Alaska or the
Feejee Islands? Within six months
you shall have liberal supply of
Florida literature freely, "without
money, and without price" And
have you heard of our Sub-TropIcaI
EXp0sition; The foundations for the
Exposition buildings, are already
laid, at Jacksonville, and by the first
of December thousands will be gath
ering to look upon FlorIda's first
grand display of this kind, 1t is I'M
derstood that the r. r. homogeneous
will arrange to carry excursionists at
rates somewhat like those that last
winter turned thousands and tens of
thousands California ward,
Another grand project just set on
foot, is "cold storage" for our Or
anges. This enterprise too, is loca-
ted at Jacksonville, and by its means
our people will be able to gather,
pack and store their fruit, at such
time as will save it from all risks by
frost, and hold the crop, until called
for at profitable prices. Heretofore
every one rushed into the market in
dependently, and without any pos
sible certainty as to what he should
realize; and as rule. the market
was chaos. and untold thousands
have been lost to our growers, by
glutted markets, decay of fruit and
dishonest commission men. Here
after all the fruit will be sold by auc-
ton at Jacksonville. and buyers will
have to take run South. The future
brightens We need a couple good
workers here-single or with family.
Fraternally,
J. B. SHoUP.
Switzerland. Fla 3 40 1897